Chef's Table: Talks

Getting Rejected from LA’s Most Exclusive Sushi Restaurant Ft. Max Winkler 01.06.2026 50min

This week, David sits down with friend and director Max Winkler (Love Story) to talk about the time they got turned down from Nozawa (and why it made them love it even more), his father Henry Winkler's favorite foods, what Max eats on film sets, the iconic LA restaurants David and Max went to together in college, and so much more. Follow Chef's Table Talks on IG! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

LA’s King of Coffee Explains the Perfect Pourover Ft. Christopher “nicely” Abel Alameda 25.05.2026 1t 10min

David is joined this week by Hooked owner and LA’s resident coffee expert, Christopher “nicely” Abel Alameda! David and Nicely talk about how to make an incredible pourover, Haagen Daaz coffee ice cream, the idea of a Lego coffee shop, why every coffee bean is precious, and so much more. Follow Chef’s Table Talks on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Follow Nicely’s coffee partners: @hooked.Venice @flo.coffeebar @dudleymarketvenice @dunecoffee @espressovivace @nanddmedia #ctulproject Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How an LA Food Stall Won a Michelin Star Ft. Gilberto Cetina 18.05.2026 57min

Gilberto Cetina (Holbox) joins David in the kitchen this week!! Gilberto talks about the pressure of taking on his family's beloved restaurant Chichen Itza, how spearfishing as a teen made him fall in love with seafood, being a Michelin-starred seafood chef when his wife and daughter don't like fish, the catering horror story that made him almost ruin a wedding, and so much more. Holbox Restaurant IG: https://www.instagram.com/holboxlosangeles/ Follow Chef's Table Official on IG! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Family Behind Hollywood's Most Iconic Restaurants Ft. Byron Puck 11.05.2026 1t 1min

Byron Puck (President of Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining) joins David on the show this week! David and Byron talk about the moment he first realized his father Wolfgang Puck's level of fame on a boy scout camping trip, working in Spago's dish pit at age 12, family latke lessons, the time an egg-white cocktail exploded on a customer, why tuna cones will never leave the menu, what it means to be known as "the quintessential Hollywood restaurant", and so much more. Byron IG: https://www.instagram.com/byronpuck/ Follow Chef's Table Official on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mason & Lily Royal Make Perfectly Imperfect Waffles 04.05.2026 56min

Mason & Lily Royal (Max & Helen’s) join David on the show this week! They talk about getting married a week before opening the diner, why everyone wants to be cozy, Mason’s 17th restaurant opening, Fried Chicken Wednesdays, debate what “American cheese” actually means, dealing with stoned customers at a cannabis restaurant, and so much more. Mason IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefmasonroyal/ Lily IG: https://www.instagram.com/lilyroyal/ Max & Helen’s Diner: https://www.instagram.com/maxandhelens/ Follow Chef’s Table Official on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Pichetrungsi Reinvented Taco Tuesdays 20.04.2026 55min

Justin Pichetrungsi (Anajak Thai) is on the show this week! David and Justin talk about Justin’s 10 years working as a Disney Imagineer and leaving that career to take over his family’s restaurant after his father’s stroke, why the kitchen chaos of The Bear is so accurate, secret tricks servers use to turn tables, serving dinner in an alley, his kitchen weapon of choice, and so much more. Justin IG: https://www.instagram.com/justinpeachpeach?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Follow Chef’s Table Official on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maxwell Reis Drinks Sherry Cobblers 13.04.2026 1t 19min

Maxwell Reis (Mírate, Daisy) joins David on a show this week! Maxwell breaks down little-known histories of spirits from why people associate rum with pirates to how fermentation started and where brown liquor comes from. They talk about agave goblins, the importance of supporting family-owned distributors, what causes hangovers (and why good mezcal doesn’t make you hungover) and so much more! Maxwell IG: https://www.instagram.com/beerghost/ Follow Chef’s Table on IG! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy Fall Appreciates a Happy Meal 06.04.2026 1t 3min

Chef and Restaurateur Jeremy Fall (Drugstore) is on the show this week!! David and Jeremy talk about their love of a quality steakhouse, discuss what “American food” really means, talk about how immigrants are the heart of LA’s food culture, why chefs could chill with nitrogen, break down the definition of a sandwich, and so much more. Jeremy IG: https://www.instagram.com/jeremyfall/ Follow Chef’s Table Official on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kris Yenbamroong Will Always Have Pork Toro On the Menu 30.03.2026 1t 24min

LA-Based Chef and Restaurateur Kris Yenbamroong (Night+Market) is on the show this week! David and Kris talk about his family’s beloved Thai restaurant (and how he almost ran it into bankruptcy when he first took over), Wolfgang Puck cooking with Kris’ grandmother, why there’s a weird photo of Al Gore hanging in Night + Market, the infamous Phuket chicken, eating super spicy foods as a kid to get cred with his family, and so much more. Kris IG: https://www.instagram.com/krisyenbamroong/ Follow Chef’s Table Official on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saqib Keval and Norma Listman Make Perfect Samosas 23.03.2026 1t 3min

Chefs Saqib Keval and Norma Listman are on the show this week! Saqib, Norma and David talk about creating a healthy, sustainable workplace at their restaurant Masala y Maiz, cooks hiding to eat while on the job, perfecting samosas, making chai in the woods over a fire, living off quesadillas and coffee after having a kid, and so much more. Saqib IG: https://www.instagram.com/saqibkeval/ Norma IG: https://www.instagram.com/normalistman/?hl=en Follow Chef’s Table on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Niki Nakayama Cooked Lobster for Spielberg 16.03.2026 1t 3min

Chef, restaurateur, and Chef’s Table Season 1 star Niki Nakayama is here this week! David and Niki talk about the 15th anniversary of her Michelin-starred restaurant n/naka, her iconic uni dish getting shown on billboards, why customers ask to eat in her parking lot, how to navigate marriage with your cooking partner, Niki’s trip to Jiro’s sushi bar, and so much more. Niki IG: https://www.instagram.com/nikinakayama/ Follow Chef’s Table on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nancy Silverton Tests Ice Cream Blindfolded 09.03.2026 1t 6min

Nancy Silverton (Mozza, Max & Helen’s, La Brea Bakery) joins David on the show this week! Nancy and David talk about the Max & Helen’s waffles that quickly went viral, Nancy’s ultimate ice cream quality test, the meal at Chez Panisse that shaped her love of food, why her fridge at home is empty, hot takes on gluten free dishes, why you should never put mushrooms on margherita pizza, and so much more. Nancy IG: https://www.instagram.com/nancysilverton/?hl=en Follow Chef’s Table on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kwame Onwuachi Loves Chopped Cheese 02.03.2026 55min

This week, Chef Kwame Onwuachi (Tatiana, Dōgon) joins David on the podcast! David and Kwame talk about eating curry goat and roti at his grandmother’s house, the story of a nut allergy gone wrong on Christmas Eve, Kwame’s mom giving him cooking notes, ayahuasca realizations, life lessons learned from golfing, and so much more. Kwame IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefkwameonwuachi/?hl=en Follow Chef’s Table on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phillip Frankland Lee Brines Turkeys in a Trash Bag 23.02.2026 1t 8min

Chef Phillip Frankland Lee (Scratch Restaurant Group) joins David on the show this week! Phillip talks with David about why 10 seats is the perfect amount for a sushi bar, why pastry chefs need more credit, holding a Michelin star at the same time as his brother Lennon, Phillip’s secret for preparing Thanksgiving turkey, his experience behind the scenes competing on Top Chef, and so much more. Phillip IG: https://www.instagram.com/phillipfranklandlee/ Follow Chef’s Table Official on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben Shenassafar is a Fan of Thick Burgers 16.02.2026 1t 2min

Ben Shenassafar, (aka Ben Hundreds) joins David on the show this week! Ben talks to David about his unique career path from streetwear brand founder to restaurant owner, what makes a martini iconic, why sitting at a restaurant bar is the best spot in the house, the components of a perfect burger, the jar of his mom’s pickled black garlic sitting in the back of his fridge, and so much more.Ben IG: https://www.instagram.com/benhundreds/Follow Chef’s Table on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ali Kolbert Wants a Bite of Rain 09.02.2026 55min

Comedian Ali Kolbert is on the show this week!! David and Ali talk about growing up eating homemade gnocchi made by her best friend’s grandma, loving diner food, what she eats on tour, dinner dates in dark restaurants, why New York doesn’t have “gluten free” figured out, and so much more.Ali IG: https://www.instagram.com/alikolbert/?hl=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burt Bakman Dreams of Brisket 02.02.2026 1t 10min

Renowned Los Angeles BBQ expert Burt Bakman (Slab BBQ) joins us on the show this week! David and Burt talk about Burt’s journey from real estate agent to one of LA’s most popular pitmasters, the underground BBQ spot he operated out of his backyard, growing up on shawarma and falafel street food, the time a VIP choked on a piece of meat at one his events, overcooking Martha Stewart’s tomahawk steak, the collection of fats he keeps in his fridge, and so much more.Burt IG: https://www.instagram.com/burtbakman/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BJ Novak Loves Chain Restaurants 26.01.2026 1t 5min

BJ Novak is on the show this week!! David and BJ dive into the psyche of his character Ryan from The Office, times when comedy crosses the line, the experience of eating at Nozawa, the food scenes in LA vs. NYC, coming out against Italian food, and so much more. BJ Novak IG: https://www.instagram.com/bjnovak/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Lerner is in a Steak Phase 19.01.2026 47min

Sam and David talk about saying goodbye to his character on The Goldbergs and career shifts after being a series regular on a beloved sitcom, learning to love food through his dad’s home-cooked meals, growing up as a child actor, Sam’s favorite restaurants in Italy, eating lobster pasta in a grotto, and so much more. Sam Lerner IG: https://www.instagram.com/samlerner/?hl=en Sam Lerner Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sandlerner?lang=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dominique Crenn Cooks with Emotion 12.01.2026 1t 19min

Chef Dominique Crenn, owner of Atelier Crenn in San Francisco and the first female chef in the U.S. to earn 3-Michelin stars, joins David on the show this week. She opens up about how her outlook on life has changed since overcoming cancer, dealing with grief and putting her emotions into cooking, creating the menu for the film The Menu, the one kitchen item she would use as a weapon in a street fight, what she keeps in her fridge at home, and so much more. Dominique IG: https://www.instagram.com/dominiquecrenn/ Follow Chef’s Table on IG: https://www.instagram.com/chefstableofficial/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices